CMP Invests in Horizon BQ-500 iCE Binder
(L-R) Richard Johnson, CMP (UK) operations director, and Paul Dawe, CMP (UK) owner and director, with the Horizon BQ-500 iCE binder
Book printer CMP (UK) has invested in a new Horizon BQ-500 iCE binder in response to a rise in demand for its fast turnaround, short-run digital book production.
Supplied by Intelligent Finishing Systems (IFS), the new kit was installed in July at the Dorset, Poole-based company's site.
Along with being a strategic long-term investment, the upgrade will allow the company to access greater capacity and throughflow, CMP (UK) operations director Richard Johnson told Printweek.
Johnson said: "The speed of the machine allows us to access sales that we may not have had before as we can now offer faster turnaround."
Securing the longevity of quality for clients was also a primary factor in the new purchase.
"The biggest thing for us is client services, this is what I consider the most important areas of what we do," Johnson said.
"Through successful client engagement we've seen a real positive growth."
It's not the first time CMP has invested in kit from IFS with the printer purchasing a Horizon HT-300 Ice Trimmer 18 months ago.
"We have seen a lot of growth in the short-run book sector over the past 24 months. The HT-300 was the start and the Horizon BQ-500 iCE Binder will solidify our ability to effectively service that even further," said Johnson.
When choosing a new machine, he told Printweek that the team "keep our eyes peeled what's going on in the wider community" but that ultimately "this kit fit our needs".
"It was just a case of making sure it would fit with our existing workflow and kit," he added.
The new binder will be used in the firm's paperback workflow and has replaced a similar machine, which was traded in. Training took place over three days. Another appeal was the flexibility the machine offered for staffing.
Johnson reflected: "It was perfect for our needs. We also liked the fact that it was designed to be more accessible for our staff. This enables operators from different shift patterns to run it. iCE LiNK is also nice to have and it is good to be able to access the data should we need it."
The BQ-500 binder is the next generation of the Horizon four clamp binders series. It comes equipped with cloud-based iCE LiNK workflow and can report real time production analysis and has remote update capabilities.
On the impact the machine has had so far, Johnson said: "It has only been onsite for a short period of time, but our early experience has been extremely promising. It has given us a greater window of operational time and helped us increase our output. It has elevated our quality levels too."
Founded in 1995, CMP (UK) is a family-run business that specialises in offering book printing services to publishers and self-publisher authors. It produces soft and hardback books in black and white, full colour or a mix.
The team, made up of 10 staff, recently celebrated its 30-year anniversary with a focus on ambitious, sustainable growth.